RD Zayne Parekh - Saginaw Spirit, OHL (2024, 9th, CGY)

[montreal]

lots of Parekh in game 2, nice assist at 9:09

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

you're right...they don't need a comp. was just curious if anyone saw similarities to current players.

I think Tony DeAngelo is the comparable.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Whether Parekh pans out remains to be seen, but I also contend that his defense is not the worst amongst highly-touted draft eligible junior defenseman this season—that honor goes to Yakemchuk. Parekh definitely makes some defensive plays that make me cringe, but he is also capable of solid defensive plays and I think capable of becoming more consistent defensively. He’ll never be a stalwart, but I think he can get to “NHL-worthy”.

Two different types of defensive problems, but I think Levshunov has more correctable defensive issues.

Levshunov thinks he’s hulk. Too high event. Needs to slow the game down and improve his decision making. He’s advanced a lot very quickly and is playing a level few do as draft eligibles. His defensive issues might be looked at differently if he was in junior. If he improved his decision-making, he could become good defensively. I thought K’Andre Miller had no chance to be good defensively in the NHL because pre-draft he had terrible hockey sense. He improved his hockey sense, and while it’s not good, it’s become good enough that it allows his athleticism to take over. The same can happen with Levshunov. This happens sometimes. If you have the physical tools and improve your hockey sense a little, it can make a big difference eventually.

Parekh isn’t that big, doesn’t have elite backwards skating, his defensive effort isn’t the best, and he has issues with positioning, physical battles, and puck management. I think you hope he gets to DeAngelo/Barrie/Bouchard levels of it’s good enough that he can play in the NHL, but it won’t ever be NHL average. To his credit, Quinn Hughes was like that and now he’s improving so it can still improve from there and there are exceptions.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Oh my god is that all? That’s really making a mountain out of a mole hill. Everyone making it seem like he’s got real issues like sneaking out at night to bar hop or that his teammates hate his guts. But no. 99% of hockey players are lifeless robots. Find one that isn’t and it’s something scouts should keep an eye on. Lol

People go crazy in hockey to make sure they are all valedictorians and such.

People didn’t like that Cole Eiserman was guarded to the media about some of his struggles.

Parekh’s concerns are a little immaturity for a 17 year old kid. In reality, the same as most his age.

For NHL teams? That’s a concern and that’s what we’re discussing, so whether we like it or not, it matters.

 

[Finster8]

Being young enough to be able to improve your D is a luxury that Zayne has and will have too. He can’t learn to get 96pts in his draft season. Any team that drafts him has to take all of his tendencies into consideration. Where he goes in the draft is how they think he will be in 3 or4 years down the line. If he gets better with his D game is going to be up to him and his coaches. His offense is of the charts compared to most D in the Draft.

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

I think Chicago take him,
Saginaw score bunch of goal, make me real tired of their bad goal song.
The Blackhawks have a great one.

 

[Jared Dunn]

I think Chicago take him,
Saginaw score bunch of goal, make me real tired of their bad goal song.
The Blackhawks have a great one.

In the top 3? No way

 

[Kingpin794]

I think Chicago take him,
Saginaw score bunch of goal, make me real tired of their bad goal song.
The Blackhawks have a great one.

Its a meme. But its our meme. And it counts as psychological warfare after enough goals.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I've read that he's very good at pinching in the offensive zone. Normally this isn't really an ability that defensively deficient players excel at. Is he taking advantage of his opponents lower skill level and this won't fly at the next level or are some of his deficiencies overblown?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I've read that he's very good at pinching in the offensive zone. Normally this isn't really an ability that defensively deficient players excel at. Is he taking advantage of his opponents lower skill level and this won't fly at the next level or are some of his deficiencies overblown?

Being very good at pinching is an open ended statement.

He’s a good lateral skater with good quickness. Has great hands and timing. Those are traits that suggest a player who will make more successful pinches than most players.

But it could also be a player who had a lot more unsuccessful pinched than most players who know their limits and won’t attempt risky pinches.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Being very good at pinching is an open ended statement.

He’s a good lateral skater with good quickness. Has great hands and timing. Those are traits that suggest a player who will make more successful pinches than most players.

But it could also be a player who had a lot more unsuccessful pinched than most players who know their limits and won’t attempt risky pinches.

Thanks I appreciate the scouting report! Does it look to you like he takes a lot of high risk opportunities and they pay off, or is getting burned a lot too and high event?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Thanks I appreciate the scouting report! Does it look to you like he takes a lot of high risk opportunities and they pay off, or is getting burned a lot too and high event?

All of the above.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Thanks I appreciate the scouting report! Does it look to you like he takes a lot of high risk opportunities and they pay off, or is getting burned a lot too and high event?

The thing you have to realize about Parekh is that he is Saginaw’s engine. They go as he goes. I think there is an interesting phenomenon for offensively-leaning defensemen who play on mediocre offenses that they’ll inherently take more risks and play more aggressively offensively in a way that makes it hard to evaluate their defensive capability. I think you could say that about Parekh, Yakemchuk, and even Levshunov. If their teams didn’t lean on them so hard to generate offense, would their defensive decision-making look better? I think so.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

The thing you have to realize about Parekh is that he is Saginaw’s engine. They go as he goes. I think there is an interesting phenomenon for offensively-leaning defensemen who play on mediocre offenses that they’ll inherently take more risks and play more aggressively offensively in a way that makes it hard to evaluate their defensive capability. I think you could say that about Parekh, Yakemchuk, and even Levshunov. If their teams didn’t lean on them so hard to generate offense, would their defensive decision-making look better? I think so.

Great insights, I feel more than many this prospect is hard to evaluate from highlights. Parekh seems extremely polarizing, but there's obvious talent here.

Do you think he's making a lot of pinches that are victimizing his opponents inferior abilities or cleaning picking spots?

 

[sennysensen]

The thing you have to realize about Parekh is that he is Saginaw’s engine. They go as he goes. I think there is an interesting phenomenon for offensively-leaning defensemen who play on mediocre offenses that they’ll inherently take more risks and play more aggressively offensively in a way that makes it hard to evaluate their defensive capability. I think you could say that about Parekh, Yakemchuk, and even Levshunov. If their teams didn’t lean on them so hard to generate offense, would their defensive decision-making look better? I think so.

This makes total sense. Case in point: Erik Karlsson scoring over 100 points with San Jose, taking tons of chances, as he was their only offense. On Pittsburgh, his points are way down, but he is a + player, and is having a better overall season. He doesn't have to take crazy chances, as they have many other good players.

 

[wetcoast]

I think Tony DeAngelo is the comparable.

Parekh has a higher skillset and is less volatile though right?

 

[Juxtaposer]

Great insights, I feel more than many this prospect is hard to evaluate from highlights. Parekh seems extremely polarizing, but there's obvious talent here.

Do you think he's making a lot of pinches that are victimizing his opponents inferior abilities or cleaning picking spots?

I actually think a lot of Parekh’s offensive value comes from his ability to find his teammates in open places rather than making a bunch of crazy dangles or one-on-one moves. I think his offense is very translatable, but the risk in his projection comes from his lack of high-end physical tools, good-not-great skating, mediocre at best defending, and whether or not he can adapt to an NHL style system without sacrificing what makes him great.

 

[bcspragu]

The thing you have to realize about Parekh is that he is Saginaw’s engine. They go as he goes. I think there is an interesting phenomenon for offensively-leaning defensemen who play on mediocre offenses that they’ll inherently take more risks and play more aggressively offensively in a way that makes it hard to evaluate their defensive capability. I think you could say that about Parekh, Yakemchuk, and even Levshunov. If their teams didn’t lean on them so hard to generate offense, would their defensive decision-making look better? I think so.

I don’t disagree that Parekh is the engine in that offense but Saginaws offense is about as far from mediocre as it gets in the CHL. They are stacked offensively

 

[Juxtaposer]

I don’t disagree that Parekh is the engine in that offense but Saginaws offense is about as far from mediocre as it gets in the CHL. They are stacked offensively

I did exaggerate a bit to illustrate my point, that’s fair.

 

[McDNicks17]

Great insights, I feel more than many this prospect is hard to evaluate from highlights. Parekh seems extremely polarizing, but there's obvious talent here.

Do you think he's making a lot of pinches that are victimizing his opponents inferior abilities or cleaning picking spots?

I'd say most of his offense comes from attacking from the blue line with the puck over pinching in and receiving passes.

Which makes sense since he's better than basically every forward in this draft at attacking space in the offensive zone with the puck, IMO.

 

[SquidNasty]

Ive said it before and Ill say it again. Parekh will be the best offensive defenseman in the O before hes done with the league. Hes got to soak in all he can from Mintyukov, hes got the skill to be every bit as good

This legend predicted it in 2022

 

[bcspragu]

This legend predicted it in 2022

Pretty sure the first rookie camp scrimmage I saw him rush the pick up ice, pass it to himself off the boards, spin off a check, collect the puck and continue on the off man rush. Right then I could tell lol. Never saw a 15/16 year old just toy with others his own age group like that

 

[Castle8130]

Is he playing tonight?

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

Is he playing tonight?

No and Saginaw didn't score

 

[EbonyRaptor]

In the top 3? No way

The GM and Head Scout are all about a certain profile they want to draft and it starts with speed/skating. I think Celebrini would be their 1st pick but if they are picking 2n3/3rd/4th - I would not rule out Parekh as their pick because he fits the profile perfectly and he also is RD which they don't have much of in the prospect pipeline - 1 RD (Rinzel) to go along with 6 LD's (Vlassic, Korchinski, Kaiser, del Mastro, Allan, Phillips). Levshunov is RD too and has plus size which Parelh doesn't have but size is not a problem as all their d-prospects are over 6'0" with the exception of Kaiser who is 6' even.